Hello everyone,

We are 23 and 21 yo from Serbia.
I am planning my new year's trip and the choice is down to the following two options:
1. Amsterdam or
2. Paris + Amsterdam, spending New Year's eve in Paris, on Champs-Elysees probably.
Amsterdam only option includes 3 nights in Amsterdam in a hotel in the center of the city.
The option with Paris includes 3 nights in Paris and 2 nights in Amsterdam but hotels are situated 15min metro ride away from city center.

That means if we choose first option we would be able to walk and discover Ams freely without having to think about time and when to go back not to be late for last metro ride (since we like staying out late). If we choose second option we obviously could not stay out as long.
How hard is it to navigate metro in those two cities and how safe?
I also read about Noctilien bus in Paris, how difficult is it to navigate and how safe is it?

Is 2 days in Amsterdam too short?

Do you think that it would be better to choose the first option and go only to Amsterdam or take the second option?

Thank you in advance.

New Year's Eve in Amsterdam is bombastic - never seen anything like it - fireworks from afternoon to way after midnight - huge outdoor concert with bands for your ages at Museumplein - really tops.

Paris is nice but much much more subdued. The week between Christmas and New Year's Day in Amsterdam is one of the most hectic travel days of the year - book hotels really early or face being shut out - zillions of folks flock here for that week of non-stop partying - but if into more sedate environment stick to Paris.

NYE in Amsterdam is wild! If you can get a hotel in the centre of town, you'll be right where the action is and you won't have to worry about busses and trams. Generally, all public transport stops running at 8pm, to resume in the early morning. Usually there's something on at Dam and Museumplein, but perhaps the nicest place to be is the Zeedijk and Nieuwmarkt area. There are loads of parties all over town, so if you have a few days to spare, see if you can get tickets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWvfJt3dLdw

Amsterdam New Year's Eve 2013 - you'd think you're in a war zone and why I call New Year's Eve in Amsterdam bombastic!

Amsterdam for sure.

Thank you for your answers, we have to decide in the next week, it won't be easy. Although, at the moment, I think it will be Amsterdam only because of the hotel in city center.

It is easy to navigate the metro in Paris normally. The Noctilien bus isn't difficult, but has limited routes and schedule, of course. If your hotel is "15 min" from Paris center, that is pretty far out, it could not even be in Paris proper. IN fact, depending what they call "center", that could just be 15 minutes to the edge of Paris. But even if the Louvre, that could easily be La Defense, etc.

However, on NY Eve, some of the RER and metro lines run all night as special exceptions (RER lines A and B do). And they are free, but some stations may be closed, only the most popular remain open. But not all the lines, so it depends where your hotel is. For others, they operate until about 1:30 am. Not sure I'd want to depend on a Noctilien bus myself, but if you don't mind and know the hotel is right on a Noctilien bus line, that would work. Paris public transportation is generally very safe.

Thanks for advice Christina. It does sound a little tricky since I am not even sure the hotel is right on the bus line but I would need to find out ofcourse.

The Paris metro runs all night on December 31st and it is free from 5pm on the 31st until noon on the 1st.